Paul Ibe, Media Adviser to former Vice President Atiku Abubakar, has downplayed speculation surrounding a recent meeting between Atiku and Peter Obi, flagbearer of the Labour Party in the 2023 presidential election. Speaking during an interview on Channels Television’s Politics Today From 0:45, Ibe clarified that the two leaders only shared a casual breakfast during Obi’s visit to Yola.
“I think we are going ahead of ourselves and overanalyzing things,” Ibe said. “What happened was that Obi was in Yola on the invitation of the university. It was the 20th anniversary and the 16th founders’ day, and he was invited as a keynote speaker. On arrival, Atiku invited him for breakfast, they had breakfast, and then he went for the program.”
Ibe dismissed the notion that the meeting had any political undertones, instead urging the public to temper their interpretations of the interaction. “That was a mere breakfast that was served, and I wondered what would happen when a buffet (I’m not talking about an English buffet, I’m talking about a Chinese buffet), is served. What would people be saying?” he quipped.
The meeting, however casual, has sparked widespread speculation about a potential alliance between Atiku and Obi ahead of the 2027 presidential elections. Both leaders are influential in Nigeria’s political landscape, with Atiku representing the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) and Obi commanding significant support as the face of a growing third-party movement.
While neither Atiku nor Obi has officially commented on the possibility of a partnership, their breakfast meeting has fueled conversations about strategic collaborations in the lead-up to the next electoral cycle.